Freedom
by MaryandMerlin
Summary: QLFC - Round 3. Ariana/Grindelwald with a touch of tragedy.


**Prompts**

 **QLFC - Round 3** \- Hey Now (Girls Just Wanna Have Fun) Cyndi Lauper  
(word) Cryptic; (word) grave; (object) Jumper/Sweater

 **GGE - Jade the Golden Princess -** Ariana/Grindelwald

 **Insane House Challenge -** 162\. Godric's Hollow

 **365 prompts -** 184\. Godric's Hollow

 **Word Count: 1455**

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Freedom

"What am I meant to do with you?"

The acid tone made her flinch, as did the venom in the startling, blue eyes. Not that her mother noticed, she twitched and fidgeted so much that a flinch, a trace of fear, was not anything to care about. As if to prove her point, her head jerked making her golden hair swish.

She sat at the table, very quietly, in the perpetual semi-darkness of their house. Her mother always made sure to keep the curtains drawn, for fear anyone would see her in those moments when she lost control. Even though most of the population of Godric's Hollow was magical, it wouldn't do for the Dumbledore family to be seen with such a defunct daughter - her father had brought them more than enough poor publicity.

Kendra was on her hands and knees, scrabbling for bits of broken shell and trying desperately to clean the mess that Ariana's latest fit had caused. She had been trying to help, it was Aberforth's birthday and more than anything he had wanted a cake, but even that simple task had been deemed far too strenuous for her broken mind.

"I'm sorry, mother," she whispered, her 14-year-old voice still sweet with innocence.

"Sorry won't buy us more food, Ariana! We have limited money as it is, without good food already going to waste!" She scrubbed at the congealing mess of flour and egg with a rag. "You have no control and you're getting too big to hide!"

Tears slipped unwillingly from her eyes, and Ariana dug her fingers into her arms. Kendra sat back with a sigh, the dirty rag dangling from her grasp. She looked towards her daughter - huddled on the chair and still twitching involuntarily - and though her countenance remained grave, the fight seemed to leave her body. The ferocity left her eyes and the hard lines around her mouth softened.

"It is not your fault," she whispered. "I'm sorry, my sweet girl, I am always too harsh on you. You're so young. A girl your age should be out, having fun. It's not your fault." Kendra rose from the floor and gathered the weeping girl into her arms.

X

An hour or so later, when all evidence of the accident had been washed from the house, Ariana found herself locked once more in the basement room that was her cell when the house was empty. Aberforth and Albus were both away and her mother needed to get supplies, so she was locked down here for her own safety - and the safety of their secret.

The room was not very big, but it was comfortable. A small bed, chest of drawers, desk and chair were the only furnishing and the stone floor was only covered by a threadbare rug but she had collected meagre treasures over the years that made her little corner of the world feel more like a home.

It had always been a lonely existence, especially once her brothers had started attending Hogwarts. Albus had come back changed, he had less and less time for her, but it was obvious how much it pained Aberforth to leave her behind. Since she had become old enough to realise that she was broken, Ariana had longed for her freedom. She longed for the chance to be a normal little girl, to go outside and have fun. To be carefree and care about boys and her hair and makeup - not about whether the next fit would be her last.

Though lately, she had longed for the times when her mother was out and she was left alone in the basement. For her mother didn't know that she wasn't the only secret this family was keeping.

A whisper and a click had Ariana's head whipping up. She leapt from the bed, her pulse racing with sudden excitement, and tugged at the shabby green jumper she was wearing. It was an echo of herself really - worn and shabby, fading and fraying at the edges but the pattern that had been woven into it was so complicated and intricate that it was beautiful - she hoped he would see past the fraying, broken parts of her.

The door clicked and swung open and his tall, broad frame filled the space. His blond hair swept smoothly across his forehead, his skin pale and his face perfectly structured. A small, mouth was stretched into a smile upon seeing her and his fascinating eyes twinkled cryptically. She could never quite decipher the look on his face when he first saw her - it was like a hunger but she didn't know what for. It was like she was a specimen, and he was the only one permitted to study her.

"Gellert," she breathed and the twitching seemed to lessen. She felt herself becoming more calm and confident, just by looking at him. Like a normal girl.

"Hey Ari," he smirked, his voice was so smooth like silk. He stretched a hand toward her down the stairs. "Are you ready?"

She didn't need to answer, Ariana rushed up the stairs without hesitation and slipped her hand into his.

These were the moments that kept her going now. A few months ago, Gellert had arrived on the street to live with his Aunt, Bathilda Bagshot, and had proved himself to be a gentleman straight away. The first thing he had done was make an effort to meet his new neighbours and, due to his unexpected visit, her mother had not had time to hide her away before Gellert had seen her.

He had knocked again and again, but Kendra had been prepared and had always managed to seclude her. So, enterprising as always, Gellert had taken matters into his own hands and sought her out when he saw Kendra leave without her.

She had been so afraid the first time he had sprung her from this cage. She had refused to go anywhere with him, so he had simply talked to her, asking about her life and situation. Taking a genuine interest. It had been shocking, the first person she had ever met who didn't know every detail of her life already. Who didn't look at her with a modicum of fear.

They had worked up to leaving the room first, and then after a few months the house itself. The thrill of feeling the sun on her face was intoxicating and she had barely looked back. It had been so freeing, so fun that Ariana had found herself begging him to come back and he always had.

"She hasn't gone far," Ariana whispered as they crept through the kitchen, "I don't know how long we'll have."

"Don't you worry about that," he dismissed her.

But she had been right to worry, for the front door clicked suddenly and swung open. The sound had been so unexpected that Ariana had frozen but Gellert had turned to flee. He was out the back door and over the hedge within minutes, but by that point it was too late anyway.

X

"How long have you been seeing this boy? Has he taken you out of the house? Ariana I'm speaking to you. Of all the incredibly stupid things for you to do. Someone could have seen you, something could have happened to you. How could you? After all I've done for you! This is how you repay me! You wicked, thoughtless child! The shame you have brought on us, you have always brought on us!"

Her mother's voice was growing more and more shrill with every sentence uttered and under the barrage of verbal abuse Ariana had started to twitch violently. Her twitching quickly turned to shaking as she grew more agitated and frustrated.

"I- I- I-" she stuttered, struggling to force the words out.

"Your brothers are trying so hard to wipe the stain you put on the Dumbledore name. Your father went to Azkaban for defending you! And yet you continue to flaunt the rules and endanger your whole family!"

"I just, just, I just-." Colours started to pop and flash in front of her eyes.

"You are a disgrace! A complete and utter disgrace of a daughter and a child. What has he been doing with you? What happened to my sweet girl? How could you?"

"I just wanna- just wanna," she tried so hard to master it, to explain herself.

"What could you possibly say to justify this?" her mother finally demanded, finally hearing that her daughter was speaking. Though the condescending spite that laced her tone was the thing that finally snapped her meagre hold on the power roiling inside her.

"I just wanna have fun!" Ariana screeched back, as green light filled the room.

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 **Much Love, MaryandMerlin x**


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